Tuesday, 4 March 2014

World Book Day Comes To Schools All Over The UK & Giveaway

World book day is on march 6th we have already decided on Harry Potter (again). World Book Day is back with a brand new line up of ten brilliant titles from some of the nation's top children and Young Adult authors. The biggest and best annual celebration of reading and books for young people returns for its 17th year with something for everyone, from toddlers to teens. And each of the must-reads can be picked up for FREE, using a special £1 World Book Day Book Token handed out in nurseries and schools across the country.

Building on the success of last year's The Biggest Book Show on Earth, World Book Day 2014 also sees the launch of an exciting and brand new pre-recorded TV show format. Available online for the whole of March, schools, groups and parents can register to watch all the wonderful World Book Day authors and illustrators sharing they're tips and answering questions from children across the country. The pre-record will also be compared by family favourites Dick and Dom!

Schools, parents and children across the nation can register. to register, log on and enjoy watching it together at a time that suit.

Compared by CBBC’s Dick and Dom, the show features World Book Day authors and illustrators:

James Patterson

David Melling

Emily Gravett

Jill Murphy

Jim Smith

Lauren St John

Terry Deary

Martin Brown

Alex T Smith

Sarah Lean

Robert Muchamore

Maureen Johnson

Here is a few tips on writing from some of the featured authors.

David Melling

People always ask me what the best writing tip I've ever been given is. my knee-jerk response to that question is: do a little each day. It’s very important. Kids often ask me ‘how do you do that?’ when I draw, and it all comes down to a little each day. It’s like learning to play a musical instrument or a sport. You don’t pick up your tennis racket one day and be volleying, hitting winning shots the next. The more you practice the better you get, and that’s the same with writing and drawing.

I also always keep note and sketchbooks, an idea might come from one simple illustration. I'm constantly drawing and redrawing these characters as they evolve. With Jack Frost, I was very conscious that I wanted to do a proper 'Once upon a time...' picture book so there's no set rule or pattern but I always use the note or sketchbook as a starting point.

Alex T Smith

Don’t assume that professional illustrators always know how to draw – I had to learn to draw bicycle a couple of years ago. Even pros have to learn and practice!

Always remember that when drawing you aren’t imitating life – your drawings don’t have to be realistic! Claude’s eyebrows are above his head, you wouldn't see that in real life!

When I'm writing I might do some tiny doodles about how it would work as a book spread to help me keep track of my ideas. I really get going with the pictures when the text is complete. I'm always very keen on the idea that if you can say something with pictures then go for it.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer and an artist?

Yes, always. I've always loved books and luckily came from a very bookish family. I've also always loved drawing. I can remember the very first picture I drew - I was very very young and I was sitting at the dining table on my mum's lap and I drew a teddy bear. It was really just a couple of very wobbly circles and a bit of scribble but I knew it was a teddy bear and told my mum exactly what was going on in my picture. From then on I was hooked and have had a pencil in my hand pretty much all the time since then!

Emily Gravett’s Top Five Writing Tips

1) Often I find that just getting to know my character will give me ideas for a story. I begin by writing down and drawing everything I know about them on a sheet of paper.

2) To get a really good resolution for a story I like to brainstorm. To do this write down your challenge or obstacle in the middle of a sheet of paper then as quickly as you can write down as many ways as you can think of to solve your problem.

3) Ending your story - Sometimes it’s worth writing down a few different endings for your story. Some happy, some sad, some funny. Try them all out. Most of the time one of them will leap out at you as the ‘right’ ending.

4) It’s good to write down ideas as you get them (or they tend to vanish). I use my sketchbook, but I also have a box to put more chunky ideas in. Even things that might spark ideas like packaging, buttons etc.

5) Finally, I think it’s important to keep re-reading aloud what you have written. Reading aloud helps you hear the rhythm of your story, and highlights any snaggy areas that need work.

Visit www.worldbookday.com for more information, the latest news and to subscribe to the free monthly World Book Day e-newsletter.

I have for a giveaway the ten titles featured by some of the nation's top children and Young Adult authors. All you need to do is fill in the form below.

Brummie mummy is hosting the giveaway and is not responsible for sending the prize to the winner, this is done directly from the company. The blog and it's owner accept no responsibility for any withdrawal or non receipt of the prize.

Rafflecoper picks the winner and all steps of entry are checked.

Entrants accept that their email addresses are required and will be sent to the company after the competition closes.

The competition closes on the 01/04/2014 The winner will be notified within 48 hours and The company will be contacted thereafter to send the prize to it's recipient. The winner has 28 days from the date of contact from brummie mummy to respond with their address details, after which a new winner will be picked.

last year they dressed up as lion (hand made outift) from lion, witch & wardrobe (eldest son), a gargoyle (grey onesie with hood and wings) from the gargoylz series (middle son) and rory the racing car (youngest son). this year (new school) they are not dressing up.

my eldest would love the horrible histories one, my middle son would love I am not a loser and my daughter would love Hugless Douglas so all 10 of the books would come in VERY handy and well read in our home!!! xxxDeb Alexanderdebbie-alexander@sky.com

My dog, Izzy (she's very talented) volunteers for Post Pals (a charity that aims to bring smiles to the faces of terminally ill children and their siblings). March is book month and i think Jack Pepper would be the perfect book to send to Izzy's pal this month x

My daughters fav book is pirates that love underpants and in the book their after a trophy that is a pair of golden underpants! So we made the trophy out of paper mache and she dressed as a pirate she loved it :)